Junior OSINT Researcher (African AI Policy & Cybersecurity Beat) Part Time

What You’ll Do
You will research and document the intersection of AI policy, cybersecurity, and digital sovereignty across African countries. Your work will feed into Aylgorith’s investigative pipeline and be published under your byline.

Monthly deliverables:

1. Two research briefs (300 words each) on recent African AI policy or cybersecurity developments

• Examples: Nigeria’s data protection enforcement actions, Kenya’s biometric database rollout, Ghana’s cybersecurity levy implementation, African Union AI strategy updates
• Format: What happened → Why it matters → Primary sources (2–3 links)
• Deadline: Every other Sunday by 8 PM WAT

2. One tool/resource roundup (alternates monthly with second brief)

• 5 free cybersecurity or OSINT tools relevant to African small businesses, journalists, or researchers
• Format: Tool name, function (1 sentence), African context relevance (2 sentences), link + screenshot
• Deadline: Last Sunday of the month by 8 PM WAT

3. Weekly check-ins (3 bullets every Sunday by 8 PM WAT)

• What I researched this week
• What I learned
• What’s next

What You Need

Required:

• Access to reliable internet for research (briefs are <500MB data/week)
• Ability to read and synthesize policy documents, news reports, and technical sources
• Basic cybersecurity or OSINT familiarity (or active learning pathway)
• Deadline discipline — submissions are due Sunday 8 PM WAT, no extensions

Bonus:

• Enrolled in or completed cybersecurity coursework (e.g., IBM, Coursera, University of the People)
• Familiarity with African tech policy landscape
• Experience with Notion, Google Docs, or markdown for documentation

What You’ll Gain

• Published research under your byline in Aylgorith’s archives
• Portfolio artifacts — 6–12 research briefs after 3 months you can point to in future applications
• Editorial feedback from a researcher with 74+ peer-reviewed publications
• OSINT and policy research skills applicable to cybersecurity, journalism, and investigative work
• Direct compensation — $50/month paid for completed deliverables (no ghosting, no pay)

Payment Terms

• $50 is paid after the month closes if all deliverables are submitted on time
• Missed weekly check-in: That month’s payment becomes $30 (pro-rated)
• Missed major deliverable (brief or roundup): That month’s payment becomes $0; internship auto-pauses until two consecutive weeks of check-ins are submitted
• No exceptions, no extensions — this trains deadline discipline

Application Process

Step 1: Stress Test (Due 7 Days from Application)
Submit a basic cybersecurity audit checklist for small businesses:

• 10–15 checklist items (Google Doc, Notion, or markdown)
• 100-word explanation of why each of the top 3 items matters
• Screenshot of one free tool you’d recommend for each top 3 item

Step 2: Review
If your checklist demonstrates research ability, clear writing, and deadline adherence, you’ll receive the internship agreement.

Step 3: Month 1
Start deliverables. Payment unlocks after Month 1 closes if all submissions are complete.

Aylgorith is an equal-opportunity employer. We particularly encourage applications from researchers and journalists based in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and other Global South regions whose perspectives are structurally excluded from mainstream AI discourse.